Nymphing

[iso]

My favorite way to nymph is during the isonychia hatch here in the east. I fish it a specific way and do pretty well, but it occurs to me that I'm much less deliberate in matching my technique with other bugs.... This thread is my attempt to learn a bit about matching nymphing techniques with certain bugs. Tell me, what is your favorite way to nymph? Does it work best with certain insects? On a certain river? What are some of the variables that influence your choice of technique?

I'll start. Back when the esopus was fishing better, I spent a fair amount of time with an isonychia pattern casting across and down. I'd mend once to get fly down and the fish hit most often as line got taught on the swing, or at the end of the swing dead downstream. Isos are big bugs and they are swimmers, so you don't necessarily need to get deep with a drag free drift. In pocket water I focus on getting the fly down, in faster water I tend to pay more attention to the swing.

How about you?

[Ray]

You will need to match the way nymphs hatch to fish other mayfly hatches. Isonychia is the best hatch to learn to nymph on, it's also an easy hatch to fish because Isonychia are very good swimming nymphs and a swing and rise technique is very effective. Other nymphs don't swim as well and a sub surface dead drift is required with a rise at the end of the drift. Learn the Lasering(sp) lift, it's the best sub-surface nymphing technique I've used and even has that natural rise at the end of the drift. This is how I do 90% of my nymph fishing.

[zdank]

Can you explain the Laserling method?

I'm very interested in this subject because I am just getting into nymphing. My current technique involves a drag free drift under a biostrike indicator or a larger floating dry fly. I usually fish across and down as mentioned earlier but with no drag.

My problems have been working with the indicator to get the proper length (i use the moldable biostrike putty) or keeping my attractor dry and dropper nymph consistently untangled.

I am also interested in how you guys seem to sometimes want drag while nymphing. I talked to a local guide who said his favorite way to nymph was by using a short upstream roll cast into a high sticked, almost jigging sort of mend... then back into rollcast.

Either way I am interested in hearing your responses to your favorite methods.

[Steven]

It's Leisenring.

Anyway, trying casting across and up. Water load your rod and lob it out, across and up. I like to finish with my rod held high, then I'll throw a roll cast mend up stream of the fly immediately.

As the fly comes down stream, strip in line and lift your rod, throwing another roll cast mend if necessary. As the fly passes below you, begin to lower your rod and feed out line to keep the drift going.

At some point stop feeding line (like when you're ready to lob/cast again) and the fly will begin to rise.

Your indicator should be moving at a slightly slower pace than the bubble line - if it's not, your fly isn't down at the bottom. Think about it. If your fly is bouncing along, hitting rocks on the bottom, it should be moving slower than the surface, hence your indicator should be moving slower than the surface.

If your indicator is moving faster than the bubble line, add weight and/or move your indicator closer to your fly line. If you're getting stuck on the bottom too much then remove weight and/or move your indicator closer to the fly.